The Muppets are a group of puppets and costume characters created by Jim Henson. The word "Muppet" is often claimed to be a portmanteau of the words "marionette" and "puppet," but this etymology has been refuted over the years.[1] While the term "Muppet" can be applied to nearly most of the creations by The Jim Henson Company, the term is normally limited to a core set of characters that appeared on the television series The Muppet Show. The term may also apply to a separate set of characters specifically dubbed as the "Sesame Street Muppets" who have appeared regularly on the children's television program Sesame Street for thirty-eight years.

The Muppet Show was a popular TV variety-style show that ran from 1976 to 1981. The television show depicted a vaudeville or music hall style song-and-dance variety show, as well as the backstage antics involved in putting the show on. The cast itself was an eclectic range of anthropomorphicanimals, including frogs, pigs, chickens and bears. The show was well-known for outrageous, slapstick, absurdist comedy, and particularly for using its puppet characters to create uniquely humorous parodies.

Many of today’s pawpeteers owe inspiration to the Muppets while growing up. Shows like Muppet Babies have proven popular with babyfurs. Jim Henson was also once quoted as saying that Kermit the Frog, the very first Muppet, first appearing in 1955, and the signature character of The Jim Henson Company, was often portrayed as a representation of him and his attitude. Indeed Kermit's job on the Muppet Show is much like Henson’s: "trying to get a bunch of crazies to actually get the job done." Many furries attribute this claim to be Kermit being Henson’s fursona.